Fiberoptic illuminators have been used in a variety of surgical applications. For example, relatively intense xenon illuminators are widely employed for endoscopic and laparoscopic procedures. Where less intense lighting is required, halogen illuminators are utilized. Such devices provide necessary lighting for surgical headlamps.
Traditionally, each manufacturer's illuminator has been adapted to receive only that manufacturer's brand of fiberoptic cable. Most illuminators are unable to accept cables produced by competitors. As a result, hospitals and clinics have often been limited to using illuminators and cables manufactured by the same company. Replacement cables from another company cannot be used unless a corresponding illuminator is on hand. This can present an expensive and inefficient dilemma for the institution.
Conventional fiberoptic illuminators exhibit a number of problems in addition to the lack of interchangeable parts. For example, the jack or port that accepts the fitting of the fiberoptic cable is typically located close to the internal lamp or light source. As a result, the area surrounding the port tends to become very hot and difficult, if not impossible to handle. Standard illuminator ports or turrets have also been limited to accepting fiberoptic cables that have single plug end fittings. To date, no illuminator has been capable of selectively accepting either a single plug or a double plug end fitting in the same port. Lack of secure interengagement between the fiberoptic end fitting and the illuminator has also been a problem. During use the cable has a tendency to become loose from the illuminator. This can disrupt the medical or surgical procedure for which the illuminator is being used. Moreover, conventional turrets are often difficult to rotate and require varying degrees of torque. As a result, indexing cannot be performed in an optimally smooth, quick and convenient manner.